Page 40 of Until I Break

It’s just Natalie. She is annoyingly nice. I don’thateher, but I know she likes Julian and Calder. She is extra friendly withthem, but I decided to befriend her to be able to watch her rather than wonder if she is trying to get close. I trust my men, but I don’t trust her not to want to fuck them. I can’t blame her, though. I jump on them every single chance I get.

“Hey!” I say happily when I open the door.

“Eliza! Thank God you’re here,” she pants.

“Why are you so out of breath?” I ask.

“I ran up the driveway. The gate is closed,” she says. “You have to come with me. Julian and Calder were arrested. I was at the office when it happened.”

“What?!” I snap. “For what?”

I already know for what… this is bad.

“Uh. I don’t know. Something to do with Troy. I don’t know. They arrested them in front of everyone. Ryan told me to get you. He is getting their lawyer. Come on,” she urges.

“Fuck. This is bad,” I say as an uneasiness settles into my gut. I slip my feet into shoes and walk onto the porch with her. We rush down the driveway to her car, and about halfway, I realize I don’t have my phone. “Shit. I need my phone.”

“We are going to Ryan. It’ll be okay,” she says as she opens the passenger door for me.

“Fuck. This is so bad,” I say as I sit down.

“What did they do?” she asks as she backs out of the driveway.

“I don’t know,” I lie.

“I don’t know what the charges are, but they’re with Detective Omen,” she says coolly. Her tone is suddenly different, and it’s unsettling.

“Can I use your phone to call Ryan?” I ask.

“It’s dead,” she says.

“Why were you at the office?” I push.

“I was up there all day with them. They didn’t tell you?” she asks.

“No. I haven’t talked to them much today,” I reply with a frown.

“Hmm. Pity,” she says.

I start replaying everything I know about her. Something is wrong, and I’m latching onto when she was at the club with Troy. This couldn’t be… there is no way. This dumbass bimbo bitch couldn’t possibly be that conniving… right?

We suddenly turn off onto a dirt road and stop in front of Troy’s car. I could run, or I could drag this bitch out of this car and beather ass. I choose the latter and grab her by the hair right as Troy opens my door. I am seething, and he doesn’t stop me.

“Let go of me!” she screams.

“Thought you could trade me off and take them?” I scream at her before slamming her face into the side of her car. She slumps to the ground, and I kick her. “You stupid fucking whore! They will never fucking want you!”

I keep kicking her in the face, chest, and abdomen until Troy laughs and pulls me back. “Alright. Alright,” he chuckles.

Dread settles over me when his hand wraps around my wrist. He goes to say something else, but I snap and yank my arm away. “I know.”

“Sassy little bitch,” he says. “Get in the car, Eliza.”

Natalie drags herself up and stumbles over to get into her car. As she hastily backs out, Troy speaks again.

“You’re already in enough trouble. Do you really want to make it worse for yourself?” Troy asks calmly.

“No,” I whisper.

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